Tape dispenser attachment

ABSTRACT

A detachable member shaped and adapted to slide onto a conventional tape dispenser and retained thereon by a friction fit. The member incorporates a spring loaded die or punch adapted to punch holes in the tape being drawn therethrough from the tape dispenser. The tape may then be drawn down across a serrated edge in a conventional fashion and used to reinforce binder ring holes in paper.

United States Patent [191 Williams Mar. 26, 1974 TAPE DISPENSER ATTACHMENT [76] Inventor: Bruno R. Williams, 1339 5. Robert, Apt. 208, West St. Paul, Minn.

[22] Filed: July 25, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 275,135

[52] US. Cl. 225/7, 83/649 [51] Int. Cl. B26f 1/14, B26f 3/02 [58] Field of Search 225/7; 83/588, 590, 649,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2020,355 ll/l935 Haveles 83/649 3/1919 Girth 225/7 3,194,096 7/1965 Comet... 83/588 X 2,463,514 3/1949 Bucky 225/7 Primary Examiner-J. M. Meister [57] ABSTRACT A detachable member shaped and adapted to slide onto a conventional tape dispenser and retained -there0n by a friction fit. The member incorporates a spring loaded die or punch adapted to punch holes in the tape being drawn therethrough from the tape dispenser. The tape may then be drawn down across a serrated edge in a conventional fashion and used to reinforce binder ring holes in paper.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the prior art various documents and papers are mounted in ring binders by means of sets of holes punched in the paper which serve to accept the rings in a ring binder so that the papers are held in ordered position therein. Since paper can be rather fragile it is common practice to reinforce the holes or eyelets in the paper with pressure sensitive tape which is also provided with a hole therethrough. Typically, rather elaborate and complicated machines have been devised for punching holes in tape so that the tape may be used for this purpose. Typical examples of prior art machines that serve this function are shown in US. Pat. Nos. 3,457,815, 3,441,462, and 3,289,509. These prior art patents show relatively large and cumbersome machines with apparatus to punch holes in pressure sensitive tape. The difficulty with such machines is that they are so clumsy, complicated, and expensive that they end up causing more work than they save. My invention overcomes this problem by providing a simple plastic or metal slide-on attachment which can be mounted directly to a conventional tape dispenser of the kind in which tape is normally marketed. The attachment serves to punch holes in the tape without having to resort to a separate punch machine which must be laded with rolls of tape and used separately.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, my separable attachment comprises a small generally cubical structure which has a passageway channeled through it to accept the tape from the tape dispenser. Extending from the bottom of the channeled out cubical portion is one of a variety of connecting members which slides with a resistance fit over the edge of the dispenser frame. Mounted in the top of the channeled out cubic structure is a spring loaded cutting pin. The attachment is mounted on the tape dispenser and the tape is drawn therethrough in generally the same direction as the tape would be operated without the attachment. The attachment is provided with a serrated edge to perform the same function as the serrated edge normally found on the tape dispenser. With the tape drawn to the correct position the cutting pin is pushed downward and through the tape into a small accepting hole underneath the tape. This punches out a small hole in the pressure sensitive tape. The tape then may be drawn out the remaining desired distance and ripped off to be used for reinforcing eyelets or other similar functions.

The entire attachment may be simply constructed from molded plastic or a similar material and is therefore extremely inexpensive and simple to produce. In fact, the attachment is so inexpensive that it is contemplated it could be marketed directly along with the disposable tape dispenser itself. It may therefore be seen that it is an object of my invention to provide a much simplified, improved, and less expensive means for preparing reinforcing eyelets out of pressure sensitive tape. Further objects and advantages will become ap parent upon consideration of the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows, in perspective, one embodiment of the slideable attachment of my invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show two different perspective views showing how the embodiment of FIG. 1 is mounted onto a typical conventional tape dispenser.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the attachment of my invention.

FIG. 5 shows how the embodiment of FIG. 4 mounts onto a tape dispenser.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 2 and 3 in the drawings a tape dispenser 10 having a roll of tape 11 therein is shown in perspective. Tape dispenser 10 is of a conventional type normally encountered in the prior art and comprises generally a plastic molded casing which may, if desired, be discarded after the tape is consumed. Such tape dispensers are very inexpensive and although often reuseable are generally not considered to be expensive enough to warrant extensive reuse. My invention comprises an attachment for such dispensers as shown in FIGS. 1 and designated by the numeral 12. The attachment comprises a channeled out generally cubical structure having an upright wall 14 and horizontally extending members 16 and 18. Member 18 is provided with a serrated edge 19 and a hole 20. Hole 20 communicates with a chamber 22 formed in the center of member 18. Extending out from the bottom of member 18 is a leg 24 which is divided into two flanges 26 and 28. Flanges 26 and 28 are spaced in such a way as to fit around both sides of the front portion 29 of tape dispenser 10 with a friction fit so that attachment 12 remains snugly in place once inserted over portion 29. The top of flange 28 is notched at point 31 to permit the entry therein of horizontal portion 33 of tape dispenser 10. Member 18 rests on top of portion 33 of tape dispenser 10.

Mounted in horizontal member 16 is a die or punch 30 supported from surface 16 by means of spring 32. Punch 30 extends through member 16 and is connected to a cutting pin 34 which is aligned with hole 20 in member 18.

The operation and use of my invention is evident from the drawings. When pressure sensitive tape having holes therein is desired the attachment of FIG. 1 is simply slideably engaged upon the end of a tape dispenser 10 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The tape 40 is pulled off of tape roll 11 and inserted through the channeled out portion to rest on the top of surface 18. The tape may be torn off on serrated edge 19 in the same manner as would be done with the conventional tape dispenser serrated edge. The hole is punched in tape 40 by means of cutting pin 34 which is pushed down therethrough by pressure applied on punch 30 against the action of spring 32. The punched out circle of tape is forced down through hole 20 into chamber 22 in member 18. The tape may then be advanced through the channeled out area and ripped off on serrated edge 19 and used to reinforce eyelets in paper.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 another embodiment of my invention is shown. The attachment of FIG. 4 has, extending diagonally down and rearward from the bottom of the channeled out cubical portion, a clip shape-d leg 42, which grasps the contour of a short support brace 44, which brace 44 leads diagonally down from the dis pensers normal serrated cutting table toward the tape spool. A curved resilient portion 46 comprises part of leg 42 to effect a resistance fit inside the dispenser at points 47 and 48 in FIG. 5. The shape of leg 42 and curved portion 46 is such as to firmly grasp the dispenser and hold the hole cutting means in position even though the angle, length, and size of brace 44 may vary widely. The embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 is formed from either plastic or metal and designed to be narrow enough to fit inside all dispensers including those that have sidewalls on both sides. The near sidewall of the dispenser in HO. 5 is omitted for clarity and because many dispensers are constructed as shown but the presence of an additional sidewall would not interfere with the operation of the embodiment of FIG. 4.

It may therefore be seen that my invention provides a very simple and inexpensive metal or molded plastic part which may be fitted directly onto a tape dispenser to provide a means of producing reinforcing eyelets from the pressure sensitive tape in the dispenser. Small variations could be made in the structure of my inventive attachment which would adapt it to different styles and types of tape dispensers and yet not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention. Thus the following claims are presented to cover the novel concept of the invention in their most reasonable scope.

I claim:

1. An attachment for a pressure sensitive tape dispenser of the type having a housing formed with a tape roll supporting portion at one end and an extended portion at the other end for supporting the end of the strip of tape as the tape is removed from the roll said attachment comprising:

a tape supporting member with a cutting edge thereon;

means on the bottom of said supporting member grasping the extended portion of the tape dispenser comprising a flanged member extending from said tape supporting member adapted to engage said extended portion of said tape dispenser with a friction fit; and

hole cutting means connected to the top of said tape supporting means adapted to cut holes in the tape supported on said tape supporting means.

2. The attachment of claim 1 in which said tape supporting means includes a hole communicating with a chamber adapted to receive the bits of tape cut out in the hole cutting operation.

3. The attachment of claim 2 in which said hole cutting means comprises a spring loaded punch mounted in a member extending from said tape supporting member, said punch being positioned in alignment with said hole in said tape supporting means.

4. The attachment of claim 3 in which said means for engaging comprises a clip shaped leg with a curved resilient portion extending generally diagonally from said tape supporting member and adapted to grasp said tape dispenser internally. I

5. A tape dispenser comprising:

a tape roll supporting portion;

an extended portion for supporting the end of the strip of tape as the tape is removed from the roll;

a tape supporting member with a cutting edge resting on said extended portion;

means on the bottom of said tape supporting member comprising a flanged member extending from said tape supporting member and adapted to engage said tape dispenser with a friction fit; and

hole cutting means connected to said tape supporting means adapted to cut holes in the tape supported on said tape supporting means.

6. The attachment of claim 5 in which said tape supporting means includes a hole communicating with a chamber inside said tape supporting means adpated to receive the bits of tape cut out in the hole cutting operation.

7. The attachment of claim 6'in which said hole cutting means comprises a spring loaded punch mounted in a member extending from said tape supporting member said punch being positioned in alignment with said hole in said tape supporting means.

8. The attachment of claim 7 in which said means for engaging comprises a clip shaped leg with a curved resilient portion extending generally diagonally from said tape supporting member and adapted to grasp said tape dispenser internally. 

1. An attachment for a pressure sensitive tape dispenser of the type having a housing formed with a tape roll supporting portion at one end and an extended portion at the other end for supporting the end of the strip of tape as the tape is removed from the roll said attachment comprising: a tape supporting member with a cutting edge thereon; means on the bottom of said supporting member grasping the extended portion of the tape dispenser comprising a flanged member extending from said tape supporting member adapted to engage said extended portion of said tape dispenser with a friction fit; and hole cutting means connected to the top of said tape supporting means adapted to cut holes in the tape supported on said tape supporting means.
 2. The attachment of claim 1 in which said tape supporting means includes a hole communicating with a chamber adapted to receive the bits of tape cut out in the hole cutting operation.
 3. The attachment of claim 2 in which said hole cutting means comprises a spring loaded punch mounted in a member extending from said tape supporting member, said punch being positioned in alignment with said hole in said tape supporting means.
 4. The attachment of claim 3 in which said means for engaging comprises a clip shaped leg with a curved resilient portion extending generally diagonally from said tape supporting member and adapted to grasp said tape dispenser internally.
 5. A tape dispenser comprising: a tape roll supporting portion; an extended portion for supporting the end of the strip of tape as the tape is removed from the roll; a tape supporting member with a cutting edge resting on said extended portion; means on the bottom of said tape supporting member comprising a flanged member extending from said tape supporting member and adapted to engage said tape dispenser with a friction fit; and hole cutting means connected to said tape supporting means adapted to cut holes in the tape supported on said tape supporting means.
 6. The attachment of claim 5 in which said tape supporting means includes a hole communicating with a chamber inside said tape supporting means adpated to receive the bits of tape cut out in the hole cutting operation.
 7. The attachment of claim 6 in which said hole cutting means comprises a spring loaded punch mounted in a member extending from said tape supporting member said punch being positioned in alignment with said hole in said tape supporting means.
 8. The attachment of claim 7 in which said means for engaging comprises a clip shaped leg with a curved resilient portion extending generally diagonally from said tape supporting member and adapted to grasp said tape dispenser internally. 